Spool supply apparatus for textile machines



June 26, 1956 s. FURST 2,752,102

SPOOL SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1953 STEFAN FJRsT United States Patent O SPOOL SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MACmS Stefan Fiirst, M. Gladbach, Rhineland, Germany, assignor to Walter Reiners, Waldniel, Lower Rhine, Germany Application February 4, 1953, Serial No. 334,997 Claims priority, application Germany February 6, 1952 9 Claims. (Cl. 242-356) The present invention relates to textile machines.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying spools successively to a predetermined operating station of a textile machine after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted.

In certain types of textile machines it is the usual practice to hold a plurality of fresh reserve spools of yarn in a container to be successively conveyed therefrom to an operating station each time a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted. Lengths of yarn extend from each of the reserve spools to a clamping or holding means such as, for example, a suction nozzle, and great difficulties arise when a machine of this type handles spools from which the yarn cannot unwind during movement of the spool from the container to the operating station. The reason for this is that the yarn which cannot unwind from the spool becomes stretched and frequently breaks or causes improper movement of the spool during conveying of the latter to the operating station.

One of the objects of this invention is to overcome this disadvantage by providing a machine which is capable of handling spools from which the yarn cannot unwind during movement of the spool to its operating station without any danger of excessive tensioning of a length of yarn extending from the spool and held by a clamping or holding means of the above type.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus where the part of a spool, from which a length of yarn extends to a holding means, is located at a substantially unchanging distance from the holding means during movement of the spool from a reserve container therefor to a carrier at the operating station of the machine.

With the above objects in view the present invention mainly consists of an apparatus for supplying spools of yarn or the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, this apparatus including a support means and a holding means mounted on the support means for bolding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool. A container means is mounted on the support means for holding a plurality of fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means, located substantially at a predetermined distance from the holding means. A carrier means is mounted on the support means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool, from which a length of yarn extends to the holding means, also located substantially at the predetermined distance from the holding means. A conveyer means is provided to convey a spool from the container means to the carrier means along a path located substantially at the predetermined distance from the holding means so that a length of yarn extending from a spool to the holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from the container means to the carrier means.

2,752,102 Patented June 26 1956 The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring now to the drawing which schematically illustrates only a sufiicient amount of the structure of a textile machine to afford a full understanding of the invention, it will be seen that a container means 1 is provided on a support means of the machine, and a plurality of fresh spools of yarn 2 are located next to each other in the container means 1 with lengths of yarn 3 respectively extending from each spool 2 to a holding means 4, such as a suction nozzle or clamping device, which is also mounted on the support means of the machine, these lengths of yarn 3 extending through a space located at the front of the container means 1 which is in the form of a substantially U-shaped trough which is downwardly inclined with the top end of the trough shown in the drawing located to the rear of the bottom end thereof.

A release means is provided to successively release the spools 2 from the container means 1, this release means including a substantially U-shaped catch member 5 turnably mounted on the support means of the machine at 6 and being adapted to extend through a cutout formed in the left side of the trough-shaped container means 1, as viewed in the drawing. A bar 7 is fixed to and extends from the member 5 for movement therewith about the pivot 6, and the bar 7 is linked to a rod 8 which is in turn linked to a two-arm lever 1t), 11 turnably mounted on the support means of the machine at 9.

When the lever 10, 11 is turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing, about the pivot 9, the rod 8 will rise to turn the member 5 also in a clockwise direction about the pivot 6, so that the top arm of catch member 5 will enter the container means 1 to hold all except the bottommost spool 2 in the container means while this bottommost spool 2 is released from the container means 1. Upon return of the parts 511 to the position shown in the drawing, the catch member 5 holds all of the spools in the container means, as shown in the drawing, these spools advancing to the position shown in the drawing by gravity.

The thus-released bottommost spool 2 falls onto the inclined chute 12 which is mounted on the support means of the machine and forms a conveying means for conveying the spool, which descends along chute 12 by gravity, to the operating station of the machine where the spool is carried by a carrier means in the form of a two-arm lever 14, 15 turnably mounted on the pivot 13 carried by the support means of the machine. A spool 2 is shown in the drawing at this operating station with the arm 14 extending into the central hollow part of the spool 2. When a spool 2' becomes exhausted, the tubular support thereof is expelled from the arm 14 by a known means not forming part of the present invention and not shown in the drawing, and the lever 14, 15 is turned, by a means also forming no part of the present invention and not shown in the drawing, to a spool re- 'ceiving position, shown in dot-dash lines, where the arms 14 and 15 are respectively indicated at 14 and 15'.

After a fresh spool 2' slides down the chute 12 to automatically be located on the arm 14 while the latter is located at 14', the carrier means 14, 15 is returned to the operating position shown in solid lines where the spool 2' is at the operating station with the length of yarn 3 extending from the spool to the holding means 4 about a guide member 22 carriedzby, the support means of the plus the lengthof line 21. Furthermore, during movei of each spool from the container means 1 to the carr er means 1 4, 1 5 the spool moves through a subs'tanjtially'cireularjarc whnse'center is at the holding means ins sts;ea nfs qg move downwardly along the hefyarn'lengths} do not appreciably stretch or efore, with the apparatus of the invention each pOolZjhecomes exhausted if is removed from the, carrier means 14; 1 5,and thelatte'r is turned to the spool ifcivingiposition shownin dot-dash lines to receive a fresh'sp lmoving, downthe chute 12, the'movement of the carrier means' ll 15 automatically releasing a fresh spoolfromtlie container means 1; It will be seen that the container means '1 islocatedatsubstantially the same elevation as'theholding means 4 while'the'carrier means 14, 15 is located substantially beneath the holding means 4,"and allof'these'parts of the structure together with the conveying means'forrned by chute 12 are arranged with respect-to each other in such a way that the length of yarn extending from each spool to the holding means 4 does not become appreciably tensioned or 'slacke'ned during movementofthe spool from the container means 1 to the operating-station', so that even though the'spoolsare' of the type from which the yarn cannot be immediately unwound and e ven 'though. the yarn lengths 3 cannot be drawn from the holdingmeans 4, thereis no danger that the yarn w'ill'break even if it is a relatively slender,'delicate yarn and, moreover; there is no danger that the'spools will f ail to move along the desiredpath' to the operating statiom 5 i I -It-will-be-understood that each of the elements described above, or two o'r r nore together, may also find s'usefm application in other types of spool supply" apparatus for textile machines differing from the 'types described; above. -While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a'pparatusfor supplying spools in textile machines withouvexcessively tensionin' g a yarn length extending from each spool, it is not intendedto 'ibe limited td:the' details shown, since various modificat ons and structural changes may be'made without'depai'ting any way from the spirit-of the-present invention.

Without'further; analysis, the foregoing will,v so fully reveal the gist offthe present invention 'thatotheifsjcan by V applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characte'ri'stics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention 'and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning andrange of equivalence ofthe following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to, besecured by Letters Patent is: i V "'lf Apparatusforsupplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a'spool'at' the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising," in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of ajlength of yarn extending from a spool; container means mounted on said support means for holding a plura i t y of fresh spools inreservelwith a part of each spool, from which at lengthcof'yarn extends to' said holding means, located"v substantially .at a predetermined" distance from said holding means; carrier means mounted on said snppsitmeaas renaming a spool at the predetermined operating station with the'part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means; and conveyingmeans for conveying a spool from said container means to saidcarrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a lengthiof yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from said container means to said carrier means.

2. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end porfrom-which a lengthof yarn extends to said holding means means mounted on said support means at substantially the same elevation as. said holding means for holding a plurality of. fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a Iength of yarn extends to said holding rneel i s,v located substantially: at a predetermined distance fromsaid holding m'eans;carrier means mounted on said support; means beneath the level of said holding means andcontainer means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating stationawith the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said, holdi g means; and conveying means for conveying aspool from said; container means to said carrier means along apathlocated substantially at said predetermined distance from saidholding means so that a length of-yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched-orsslackened' appreciably during movement of the spool f rom, said container means to said carrier m ans.-

4. Apparatustorsupplying spools ofcyarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after aspgol; at the operating station becomes exhausted, com

prising, in combination, support means; holding means mountedon saidgsupport means for holding an end'portion Ofialengthofyarn extending froma spook-container means mounted on saidsupportmeans at substantially the same elevationas said holding means for holding a plurality of 'freshspools in reserve with a part'of each spool, from;which; a'length of yarn extends to said holding means, located substantially at a predetermined distance from said holding means; carrier means mounted on said support means beneath the level of said holding a length of yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool .from said container means to said carrier means, said conveying means comprising a chute mounted on said support and extending downwardly from said container means to said carrier means.

5. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after -a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means :mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool; container :means mounted on said support means at substantially "the same elevation as said holding means for holding a plurality of fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means, located substantially at a predetermined distance from said holding means; carrier means mounted on said support means substantially beneath said holding means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means; and conveying means for conveying a spool from said container means to said carrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a length of yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from said container means to said carrier means, said conveying means comprising a chute mounted on said support and extending downwardly from said container means to said carrier means.

6. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool; container means mounted on said support means at substantially the same elevation as said holding means for holding a plurality of fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means, located substantially at a predetermined distance from said holding means; carrier means mounted on said support means substantially beneath said holding means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means; conveying means for conveying a spool from said container means to said carrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a length of yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool .from said container means to said carrier means, said conveying means comprising a chute mounted on said .support and extending downwardly from said container means to said carrier means; and release means operatively connected to said container means for releasing a spool therefrom for movement to said carrier means after a spool at the latter becomes exhausted.

7. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after .a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool; container means mounted on said support means at substantially the same elevation as said holding means for holding a plurality of fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding .means, located substantially at a predetermined distance :from said holding means; carrier means mounted on said support means substantially beneath said holding means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means, said carrier means being movable to and from a spool receiving position; conveying means for conveying a spool from said container means to said carrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a length of yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from said container means to said carrier means, said conveying means comprising a chute mounted on said support and extending downwardly from said container means to said carrier means; and release means operatively connected to said container means for releasing a spool therefrom for movement to said carrier means after a spool at the latter becomes exhausted, said release means being operatively connected to said carrier means to be operated thereby upon movement of said carrier means to and from said spool receiving position.

8. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool; container means mounted on said support means and having one side adjacent said holding means and an opposite side distant from said holding means and located therefrom by a distance of predetermined magnitude, said container means being adapted to hold a plurality of fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means, located at said opposite side of said container means; carrier means mounted on said support means beneath the level of said holding means and container means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means; and conveying means for conveying a spool from said container means to said carrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a length of yarn extending from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched or slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from said container means to said carrier means.

9. Apparatus for supplying spools of yarn and the like successively to a predetermined operating station after a spool at the operating station becomes exhausted, comprising, in combination, support means; holding means mounted on said support means for holding an end portion of a length of yarn extending from a spool; container means mounted on said support means with one end of said container means located above an opposite end thereof, said container means being laterally spaced from said holding means with one side of said container means located adjacent said holding means and an opposite side of said container means spaced from said holding means by a predetermined distance greater than the distance between said holding means and said one side of said container means, the latter being adapted to hold a plurality of substantially horizontally extending fresh spools in reserve with a part of each spool, from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means, located at said opposite side of said container means; carrier means mounted on said support means substantially beneath said holding means for carrying a spool at the predetermined operating station with the part of the spool from which a length of yarn extends to said holding means also located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means; and conveying means for conveying a $120.01 from said container means to said carrier means along a path located substantially at said predetermined distance from said holding means so that a length of yarn extending-from a spool to said holding means will not be stretched of'slackened appreciably during movement of the spool from saideontainer means to said partief means.

References Cited in the lfile of patent Co een a 9 51 2 FOREIGN PATENTS Belginm Jan. 15, 1952 Sween 

